A turbofan engine includes a fan section, a compressor section, a combustor section and a turbine section. Air entering the compressor section is compressed and delivered into the combustion section where it is mixed with fuel and ignited to generate a high-energy exhaust gas flow. The high-energy exhaust gas flow expands through the turbine section to drive the compressor and the fan section. The compressor section typically includes low and high pressure compressors, and the turbine section includes low and high pressure turbines.
A speed reduction device such as an epicyclical gear assembly may be utilized to drive the fan section such that the fan section may rotate at a speed different than the turbine section so as to increase the overall propulsive efficiency of the engine. The geared architecture may be located in a front section of the engine and thereby influences how airflow paths are defined to the compressor section. Airflow efficiency into the compressor section provides increased overall engine efficiency and therefore any improvements are desirable.
Turbofan engine manufacturers continue to seek improvements to engine performance including improvements to thermal, transfer and propulsive efficiencies.